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Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

I don't know for sure, but it is my understanding that African honey bees are more likely to just abscond if a hive problem gets to the point they just can't deal with the situation. There may be someone at beesource that knows for sure though.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

We have the African type bees here, but not the beetles, so I really have no experience with it. The bees are bit flighty, but they do not tolerate any intrusions, such as beetles, mites, either. Just wondering out loud how these beetles are dealt with in their homelands.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

I just had my first hive wipe out by beetles this year. How it happened was the bee hive fell over (situated on loose rocks on slope) and I fixed it upright after maybe 3 days down. I came back a week later and it was slimed.

This had been a strong hive, but it couldn't defend the exposed combs. The deal about beetles is that they don't normally overrun a hive. Rather they overrun hives already weakened, usually by varroa.

I have beetles in most of my hives; however, the bees have them under control. So they aren't producing more beetles. Where do they come from? I submit the following. They produce successfully in destroyed hives, feral or domestic, then fly out to find other 'opportunities'. Though it is said that they produce in fruit, I haven't seen that. So a destroyed hive results in thousands of new adult beetles.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

I have one hive site that gets SHB pretty bad. That hive site has accounted for about 50% of my losses since 2010. This year there are only 2 hives there, but they are very powerful. I haven't seen a beetle in either yet. Just as langstroth said 150 years ago about wax moths. The only real defense against pests is to have strong powerful colonies.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

2SHB.JPGI've had what I can only imagine as a plague of SHB this year. Within the last 6 weeks they seem to be really bad. I've tried several things, but have found nothing is a cure-all so far. At this time, I've removed the inner-cover to reduce the places they can hide, and use only screened bottom boards. I've tried boric acid in the beetle traps, and even diamateous earth around the ground outside. I currently have 4 hives and in each is at least 2 or 3 of the beetle traps filled with mineral oil - and I'm having to replace - due to them being almost full, ever 4 to 5 days. I ordered/received some Nematodes to put around the hives as I can't imagine a better way for them to die - except from the inside out. I'll be putting "my little friends" out tonight and we'll see how that goes. I don't necessarily believe that "only strong hives" can deter/keep them at bay because I had a 3-deep "full" hive get over run and lost 1/2 of it to the beetle larva. I know I won't every get rid of them totally, but if I can do something to help break their life cycle - I'm gonna try.
I just have to remember the 3 S's - Sunshine, Strong Hives, and Space (don't give the bees more than they can guard).

I'll update this thread after a week, if I remember to letting everyone know how "my little friends" do ...

Last edited by seapro220; 07-31-2013 at 12:21 PM.
Reason: 2 of the 5 removed that all looked like this..

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

Originally Posted by seapro220

I've had what I can only imagine as a plague of SHB this year. Within the last 6 weeks they seem to be really bad. I've tried several things, but have found nothing is a cure-all so far. At this time, I've removed the inner-cover to reduce the places they can hide, and use only screened bottom boards. I've tried boric acid in the beetle traps, and even diamateous earth around the ground outside. I currently have 4 hives and in each is at least 2 or 3 of the beetle traps filled with mineral oil - and I'm having to replace - due to them being almost full, ever 4 to 5 days. I ordered/received some Nematodes to put around the hives as I can't imagine a better way for them to die - except from the inside out. I'll be putting "my little friends" out tonight and we'll see how that goes. I don't necessarily believe that "only strong hives" can deter/keep them at bay because I had a 3-deep "full" hive get over run and lost 1/2 of it to the beetle larva. I know I won't every get rid of them totally, but if I can do something to help break their life cycle - I'm gonna try.
I just have to remember the 3 S's - Sunshine, Strong Hives, and Space (don't give the bees more than they can guard).

I'll update this thread after a week, if I remember to letting everyone know how "my little friends" do ...

Thanks, seapro. Can't wait to hear your results. I'm going to switch to solid bottoms and reduced entrances to reduce the beetles' entry points. Great tip on the inner cover (I'm switching to my migratories)! With the solid bottoms, I'll install a top, small entrance as well for ventilation. Great to hear on your mineral oil success in those little traps. The beetles' have always ignored mine. Where do you position yours? I'm going to try a little boric acid in those Beetle Jails instead of mineral oil and see how that goes.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

In 2011, I had many hives abscond due to beetles; however, they also had mites first and had been untreated. FYI--no African honey bees here. Treatments saved most of what was left after I lost 2/3 of my hives. Now the shb is present year around in most hives, but I do not believe they are reproducing in the hives, iow no larvae to be seen.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

Stan1951: In that case maybe it is not in our best interest to requeen a hive if they get a little wiley. My hives located at the SHB yard are a little mean. I cannot work them without protective clothing, but they are tolerating the beetles. I know everyone wants docile bees. I want live ones.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

I had an issue this year when the bees at the SHB yard delivered 50 some stings to the property owner on his face and arms. I was concerned when I heard about it, but can't blame the bees.

When i went to investigate there was grass sticking all over the sides and front of the hives. Come to find out the property owner mowed next to the hives discharging grass on the hives. He told me that nothing happened on the first pass, but they were waiting on him the second time he went past. Luckily the guy acknowledged tha he remembered me telling him NOT to shoot grass on the hives. He has been more careful the rest of the summer and has had no further problems.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

We help teach a bee class at USF. I have noticed that that all of the gardens hives are in full sun and have few if any hive beetles. Some of the students who keep hives there have their hives in full or partial shade. They are constantly using beetle traps and squashing beetles. There have also been several student hives crash. Our hives at home are on a concrete pad in full sun We have almost no hive beetles. My theory is that the concrete makes it hard for the beetles larvae to burrow and pupate and the heat discourages the beetles. Try moving your hives to get full sun and put some sort of barrier on the ground to prevent the beetles from pupating.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

I have 15 hives. Twelve of my hives are on a reclaimed gravel pit. The soil is clay and it still has plenty of gravel. While I do see an occasional beetle in these twelve hives I have never had to treat for beetles nor lost a hive to beetles. I also have one hive placed under some high hanging cedar limbs with cedar sheds all around this hive. Again, I have never had problem with beetles in this hive. However, the remaining two are a different story. They are in soft soil and I am constantly doing beetle control.

Re: Small Hive Beetle idea/question

Tom -
In response to where I actually put the traps - I've found that I'm catching just as many directly on top of the brood, as in the 'back' of the hive as generally recommended. I don't want to un-necessarly 'plug' a product but these (www.beeterbeetleblaster.com) have been working for me so far. I originally tried adding some apple cider to them because the 'smell' was supposed to lure them - but haven't found that to be true. I also found this interesting presentation which is quite informative on the SHB if anybody's interested .. http://vimeo.com/31401082

I'd also like to note that I don't like the idea of purchasing anything that's not recyclable - so I just put them in with the other bottles I have whenever I take them to the recycling yard - and they're not the wiser. I've found also that you need to shop around, as the pricing varies between different distributers. It's best if you can combine some orders with others - possibly from your local bee club and get better discounting. For some reasoning, the price doesn't change until you hit their magic 100-count number. I'd originally tried the smaller units that would 'hang' on the sides of the frames (instead of having to have 2 frames to be sandwiched in between) and were re-usable, but believe there wasn't as many 'holes' in the units and more beetles were running across them - instead of being chased, or falling into them.